Tardelli blanks Saint Michael’s for first career win

12/6/2013 | Women’s Ice Hockey | Box Score

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT.-Freshman goaltender Abby Tardelli(Potsdam, N.Y./North Country Ice Storm) stopped all 19 shots she faced to earn her first collegiate victory as the SUNY Potsdam women’s hockey team (5-4-2) downed Saint Michael’s College (0-8) 2-0 on Friday afternoon. Senior forward Jessica Silveira (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Thunder) led the Bears with a goal and an assist and senior assistant captain Amanda Lucky(Kanata, Ontario/Clarkson University) also scored. The win puts the Bears back over .500 and extends their unbeaten streak to 3-0-1 in their last four games.

The teams traded chances evenly early in the opening period until the Purple Knights were whistled for a holding penalty at 6:23. Potsdam took advantage of the opportunity with good pressure. After a scrum in front of the net, Saint Mike’s goalie Tina Frasca and the puck ended up in the goal for a 1-0 lead at the 7:55 mark. Silveira was credited with the goal and freshman forward Jordan Ott (Hilton, N.Y./Rochester Edge) and senior assistant captainJenn Crawford (Burlington, Ontario/Stony Creek Sabres) earned the assists. The Bears outshot the Knights 9-4 after 20 minutes and took a 1-0 advantage into the locker room.

Potsdam came out with good energy and controlled the play in the second period. The Bears fired 15 shots on Frasca in the middle stanza, but couldn’t add to their lead. Saint Michael’s answered with eight shots of their own, mostly on three power plays, but couldn’t solve Tardelli either.

Potsdam struck early in the third period to double its lead. After a Purple Knight turnover, Amanda Lucky carried the puck into the offensive zone, decoyed Frasca into dropping low and roofed a shot for a 2-0 lead. With no luck through the middle of the period, Saint Michael’s gambled and pulled Frasca for an extra attacker with 1:11 remaining. However, neither team got a shot on goal as time expired.

Frasca finished with 32 saves in a strong performance. Tardelli has now stopped all 39 shots she’s faced against the Purple Knights this season. She played the first half Potsdam’s 4-3 season-opening win against Saint Michael’s on Nov. 2, and stopped all 20 shots. The Bears were 1-2 on the power play and the Purple Knights were 0-3.